“I had an aversion to a novel called Book Of Negroes,” said the director of the six-part BET-eOne miniseries which is making its premiere tonight at Mipcom in the Cannes grand auditorium and will debut on BET in February; the network’s first-ever long format series. Virgo was pushed by his local bookseller to read Hill’s novel about Aminata Diallo, the indomitable African women who is kidnapped by slave traders in West Africa, sold into slavery in South Carolina, then navigates her way through the American Revolution when she ultimately secures her freedom to England at the dawn of the 19th century. But even after buying the book, Virgo was put off by the title. He soon came around and says, “I couldn’t imagine the novel being called anything else.”

“The use of the word in the novel and miniseries isn’t to provoke or disturb,” explained Hill who was part of a morning panel for the miniseries with castmembers Aunjanue Ellis (Aminata), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Samuel Fraunces), Louis Gossett Jr. (Daddy Moses), executive producer Carrie Stein, D’Oliveira and Clement. The Book Of Negroes refers to a book of genealogy kept by the British Navy of those slaves who left their captors to serve the red coats during the Revolutionary War. But when the British lost, they sought to make good on their promise and the book logged each slave’s country of origin, destination and what their job was during the war.

“I told Damon that I see this project as The Wizard Of Oz,” said Virgo. “Just as Dorothy was pulled out of Kansas, Aminata is in Africa and then this twister of slavery pushes her out of her home, across the ocean and all she wants to do is get back home,” added the director.

At first Virgo and D’Oliveira tried to make The Book Of Negroes into a feature film in 2010, however, international feature distributors didn’t see the project as being prime for theatrical audiences. The duo received a bigger response from Canadian broadcasters who saw it as a miniseries and in time. During her first week as the EVP of Global Production at Entertainment One TV, The Book Of Negroes came across Stein’s desk. Though she thought it was a hard project to bring to the U.S. market initially, what moved the project forward was BET. The channel had just aired Roots for the first time, scoring four million viewers, impressive for a 37-year old miniseries. With D’Oliveira’s encouragement, Stein sent the project over to BET, who she says “was over the moon and they came in with a significant amount of financing.”

D’Oliveira credits the critical and commercial success of Oscar-winning best picture 12 Years A Slave for further advancing The Book Of Negroes and opening the door for “incredible stories out of the institution of slavery.” The Book Of Negroes differs from 12 Years A Slave in that most of the narrative doesn’t take place on the plantation.

Gooding Jr. further expounded how The Book Of Negroes sets itself apart from 12 Years A Slave explaining, “It’s told from the female perspective with a sense of empowerment. Through Aminata’s journey we see the strength of her character. I didn’t know anything about The Book Of Negroes, or the slaves participation with the British and upon hearing this, it always upsets me when I hear about something I don’t know: Like The Tuskegee Airmen, The Book Of Negroes is another upsetting moment for African Americans, when we have made a positive impact on the building of America, but our history hasn’t been told. Hearing this tale of strength moved me.”

The Book Of Negroes will also air on CBC in Canada. Conquering Pictures and Out of Africa Entertainment are also producers.

16 Comments

Max • on Oct 13, 2014 7:44 am

This is definitely an offensive title and not in keeping pace with the sensitivity and current trends and political activism in our society. The much better title should be changed to “The Book of African American People of Color”.

Paris Los Angeles • on Oct 30, 2014 5:59 am

Do Canadian Blacks call themselves African-Americans? Canada is in America, like Guyana, Brazil or Mexico. I heard in Canada they are offended by double labels but come on! It’s not about being racist, I want to know where ppl come from and how they got so gorgeous. I am frustrated by wannabe internet forum censors (not you, I denote sarcasm in your post, i hope…) who attack other users when they ask about race, ethnicity, orientation, age. A fan wants to know, particularly when I find someone so delicious.

A Canadian comedian with India bkgrd said on his stand up act, “we will enventually f°^* you all!” If I love someone, I want to know if he has India ancestry as opposed to Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi roots, it’s abt accuracy, no different than historical accuracy! Plus imagine I finally meet his parents, after studying Hindi only to find out they speak a Ceylon dialect…. >.< I may be sink white, it doesn't make me racist. I love different cultures and asking is how I learn.

TurfEater • on Oct 13, 2014 11:30 am

Sorry if it makes White people uncomfortable :/

burrrbank • on Oct 13, 2014 12:35 pm

What “white” people were made uncomfortable by this?

sick & tired of being sick & tired • on Oct 13, 2014 4:12 pm

The ones from Drudge Report when they get wind of this.

Anon • on Oct 13, 2014 5:55 pm

The Drudge Report? Are you kidding? They’ll eat it up! I’m pretty sure that they expect this sort of crap being aired on BET. BTW, BET is a great place for it. It’s like putting football games on the NFL Network – no critics, just a lot of arrogant back patting.

You’re dreamin’, buddy. European-Americans could care less. You’ve had your 1/2 black president, now, get over it. European-Americans feel no ‘uncomfortableness’ over hysterical, black, babble. And hey, who are “white people”? That’s not an accurate description of any culture. “White”? Ignorant.

carrielove • on Oct 13, 2014 11:37 am

Huh. That would be kinda like ‘White Anglo Saxon Caucasians.’ Not too redundant.

Joseph Bruton • on Oct 13, 2014 12:27 pm

I think the title of this series is in accordance with our history. We were Negroes long before we were Black or African American. So, this just shows a part of our Movement through history and it shows how we have evolved as a people; I will watch “The Book of Negroes” with great interest just as I did roots.
I remember my mother wrote a poem entitled “Why Not A Negro For President” and she wrote that in 1945 I believe long before we had a Black president. Some people told me they object to the word Negro. My answer to them was. Oh, you can listen to rap music that degrades your wives, mothers and daughters by referring to them as bitches and whores but yet you have a problem with the word Negro. “Negro Please.”

WHY NOT A NEGRO FOR PRESIDENT?
By Louella I. Bruton
In this world they talk democracy
And freedom all around.
They also preach equality
No matter where you’re found.
Now, since we all have equal rights
This one thing puzzles me,
Why not a Negro for President?
Don’t tell me this can never be?
Negroes fought along side the whites
On the battlefields out there,
They fought to save each other’s lives
And breathed the same smoke filled air.
Now that the war is over
And the soldiers’ guns are put away
Will a Negro rise to Presidency?
Or forever in the background will he stay.
We have Negroes all around us
Whose lives have been well spent,
Their education have been well taken in
So why not one for President?
Will there ever be a Negro Mayor
Of some little city or town?
Do you think that’s too much prestige?
Or will a Negro win that crown?
Perhaps a Negro Governor
To govern any state
Can anyone answer that query?
Or shall we leave it up to fate?
Now, tell me truly what do you think?
Don’t leave me with this problem alone
I want to know if you think a Negro
Can ever grace the White House throne?

ref: Mama’s Legacy, a book of poems by Lou Ella I Bruton available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Just Sayin • on Oct 14, 2014 3:48 pm

What a lovely poem. You should send it to the WH and president Obama.

Splicer • on Oct 13, 2014 1:45 pm

I’m looking forward to this project. It’s great to see BET move away from it’s horrible past of demeaning videos. I look forward to watching this project. In the past, a project like this would have aired on ABC as a blockbuster mini-series. (Think of all of Roots mini-series/sequels.)

Finally, “Negro” is not a racial epithet. It’s antiquated, like “colored,” but it’s not hateful.

Dr. Charlo Crossley FORTIER • on Oct 13, 2014 9:21 pm

The Book of Negroes. Very deep historical content and looking forward to this series. Know this is gonna stir up a lot of conversations in the Black Community and that is a good thing. We need to know this history. There were millions of slaves taken from Africa to the Caribbean and Portugal and Brazil. There are so many stories from those places and lives torn from our history. This is another one!!

NotChevrolet75 • on Oct 14, 2014 10:15 pm

I am here reminded of those pesky HOoOLLollywood spies who usurp another’s work and rush to produce & their copycat reaches cinemas b4 the original, stealing its thunder. All 12 yrs a slave prods had to do is read the book & rush to write.
Anyone else finds it odd while Canada owned the rights to TBON, CLP was told no to this movie but we in USA delivered TYAS?? >.< This, another injustice, shall be righted once TBON hits the airwaves. I mean did you take a look at Lyriq's open shirt?! That man is fine!!! Add to that Virgo's exquisite cinematography + gorgeous S. Africa & Canada's got a winner! I wonder why no Oprah cameo?? Did she want a bundle?? Well, anyway, all the best to our Canadian producer neighbors, i'm off to admire those delicious Cannes pix of theirs… well, one in particular! ;-)

NotChevrolet75 • on Oct 15, 2014 9:28 am

^^^This should have read “Hollywood script spies”. Before anyone dismisses this as conspiracy, how do you think year after year similar movies are produced to hit theaters within months of each other? Ex: the 2 Snow White movies (Theron vs. Roberts), A Bug’s Life vs. Antz, Shakespeare in Love vs. Elizabeth, that Jim Carrey film where his life is a Tv show vs i forgot but i wanna say Ellen & Matthew MacConahey (can’t ever spell this dude’s name but you know, he was in that movie with the girl) were in it, etc… i once saw a documentary on those spies, searched & could not find anything. Maybe another one is due?

Anyway, you see, we do it to each other here in Hollywood, so, on behalf of the unscupulous, I extend my apologies to Lawrence Hill & the fine producers at CLP for that, and I have to add it’s very gracious of Damon D’Oliveira to credit TYAS, because I would be seriously upset but that lovely man has class! Now, more photos please… and not just of the cast! ;-)

Anonymous • on Oct 15, 2014 8:53 am

This book is FABULOUS! I read it on our way to Nova Scotia, not knowing the bit of history about the black Loyalists. While in NS, I learned about the mini series, and met some people who had been extras. They said the series is just like the book. While at a museum in Shelburne, (where the main character winds up), I was able to look at a copy of the original document titled The book of Negroes. It was fascinating. There are two of these original lists, one in Halifax and another in London.

So, the title of the series is the title of the original historical documents. Black or white, the title is not meant to be derogatory or insensitive, it is just historically correct. While you wait for the mini series, read the book. In the US. It was published as Someone Knows My Name. The name should not have been changed to be “politically correct”, but should have been true to the historic title of the original.

You just have to read “In a Period of Growth” by Don L. Lee.
“Negro” not only isn’t offensive, it was THE PREFERRED term until 1965.
It didn’t become an epithet or insult just because the community at large decided to switch to “black’. The switch to “African-American” was even less legitimate.